Arizona Estate Planning Laws

About Chris Hildebrand

I’m Chris Hildebrand. I’m an attorney and the founder of Hildebrand Law. I’ve been practicing for almost twenty years. I enjoy estate planning because it gives me the ability to work closely with my clients, come up with solutions, not only solutions in terms of protecting their assets and the debts while they’re alive, but also to provide for their heirs and make sure that they are comfortable knowing that the people they care most about are protected. It also gives me the opportunity to create real relationships with people, real friendships and I find that really fascinating and interesting.

Scottsdale Estate Planning

I really enjoy that part of the practice. I think a lot of people’s fear with regards to addressing estate planning issues or meeting with an estate planning attorney is you’re inherently talking about a subject that people are uncomfortable with, which is their potential death and their assets and how much they have and how many debts they have. Clients invariably leave after the estate planning process is complete and they’re very relieved because they now know that what is important to them is protected. I think they really leave feeling empowered because of the decisions they’ve made going forward. It really forces us to look at their family as a whole and come up with a life plan for them so that they can achieve the desires or the wants or the things that they want to do both short term, now, as well as long term when they retire.

If you have any questions about estate planning or want to know more about the estate planning process, feel free to email me and I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have.

By: Chris Hildebrand

Trusts

I want to speak to you today regarding what a trust is in the state of Arizona. A trust is a legal document authorizing a third party, known as a trustee, to manage your income and assets for the benefit of your beneficiaries. It may either be a revocable, meaning the trust may be terminated, or irrevocable, meaning the trust may not be terminated and the income and assets must remain in the trust and manage according to the terms of the trust.

Benefits of a Trust

A properly executed trust may be used by a person to avoid probate of the estate after his or her death and to control the manner in which his or her wealth is distributed or managed for the benefit of the beneficiaries. There are also potential tax benefits and legal protections available from the creditors of your beneficiaries that are inherent in trusts. Please feel free to contact the attorneys at Hildebrand Law if you have any other questions regarding trusts in Arizona.

By: Chris Hildebrand

Estate planning is all about controlling your property while you are alive and well. Naming who takes care of you and your finances when you are unable to do so yourself, and providing for your loved ones after your gone the way you want, when you want, and how you want all at the lowest possible cost taking into consideration expenses, taxes, and fees. I’m Mark Bregman. Contact me at (480) 945-9131 to find out how I can use my experience to design a comfortable and affordable plan for you and your loved ones.

By: Attorney Mark Bregman

An irrevocable life insurance trust is a trust that if properly setup and maintained, will exclude the death benefit from your taxable estate, and maybe used to establish trusts for your loved ones where the assets of your trust are protected from your loved one’s creditors and there own spend thrift habits. There are many features to a life insurance trust that can add flexibility to your ability to control the assets and remain within IRS guidelines. I’m Mark Bregman. Contact me at (480) 945-9131 to find out more about creating a life insurance trust for you that will stand the test of time.

By: Attorney Mark Bregman

Living Wills in Scottsdale, Arizona

I want to speak to you today regarding what a living will is in the state of Arizona. A living will is a written statement containing a person’s directives as to the medical care they authorize, as well as the medical care they may refuse in the event they are ever incapacitated and unable to express their desires regarding that medical care.

Health Care Power of Attorney

People usually also create a health care power of attorney, designating a person authorized to make medical decisions for that person if he or she is incapacitated. It’s a good idea to execute a health care power of attorney in the event you’re living will fails to include an unexpected health care situation that simply was not covered in your living will. Please feel free to contact the attorneys at Hildebrand Law if you have any other questions regarding living wills in Arizona.

By: Chris Hildebrand

Adult Conservatorships

I want to speak to you today regarding adult conservatorships in the state of Arizona. An adult conservatorship occurs when a person is no longer able to provide for their own care or who is unable to take care of their own finances.

A conservator may have the authority to determine where that person will live and will make arrangements for the person’s daily life, including the food they eat, the clothes they wear, the transportation to medical and other appointments and the social and recreational activities the person will enjoy. The conservator however, must obtain the court’s approval for certain decisions, such as decisions regarding medical care and living arrangements.

Please feel free to contact the attorneys at Hildebrand Law if you have any other questions regarding an adult conservatorship in Arizona.

By: Chris Hildebrand

A basic estate plan is going to include a last will and testament, financial power of attorney, medical power of attorney with mental health powers and living will, and a personal property list if the individual chooses to create one. These are documents that every estate plan will have. From there, people have choices. For example, if you have minor children and want money paid to them over time, many couples will elect to create a revocable living trust. A trust will allow for the passing of someone’s estate without going through probate, keeping your financial information private, and allowing for money and assets to be given out over time, rather than one lump some, which is what happens in a probate situation. There are additional estate-planning documents that can be drafted if you want to avoid probate and you do not have a trust. For example, a beneficiary deed will allow you to select who will receive your house and other real estate immediately upon your death without ever having to go through the probate process. And, the Motor Vehicle Department now allows us to prepare a beneficiary designation, so that you can select who will receive your vehicle upon your death. There are many tools that an estate planner can provide to help you with setting things up to care for you and your loved ones. If you would like to create, revise, or update your estate plan, please call Owens & Perkins at (480) 994-8824.

If you would like to review estate planning documents with an attorney, visit this profile and submit a contact form.

By: Attorney Michelle Perkins

A living trust is a popular tool used to avoid a probate proceeding, provide creditor protection to a surviving spouse, keep your financial information private, and allow you to avoid a conservatorship and direct who will handle your finances if you are unable to do so yourself. It allows you to give your wealth to who you want, when you want, and how you want all at the lowest possible cost including taxes, expenses, and professional fees. I’m Mark Bregman. Contact me at (480) 945-9131 to find out more about creating your own affordable estate plan.

By: Attorney Mark Bregman

Typical estate planning documents include a living trust, a pour-over will, a living will, and powers of attorney for financial, health care, and mental health care decision-making. Tax planning, if needed, may include irrevocable trusts and asset protection may include LLCs, trusts, and careful planning. I’m Mark Bregman. Contact me at (480) 945-9131 to find out more about creating your own effective and affordable estate plan.

By: Attorney Mark Bregman